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Praising God today for the fact that 5,000 Ukrainian/English dual translation New Testaments are here! Thanks to incredible contacts through teammate Edik Kurat (Ternopil), we found drivers willing to drive them in with their trucks and with the status needed to bring things into Ukraine (like Bibles) without having to pay an import tax.

Pray for wisdom as we give them out and as we find campers in order to get them into their hands. May youth all over Ukraine be like these young people from our 7th and last Credo “I Believe” Bible study of summer, who raise the Word of God high, honoring it, and not being ashamed to proclaim “I BELIEVE”.

I saved this photo for an “epic blog post” that I was going to write, which never got written. I was going through a Disney phase. And I was really loving my phone (even though I broke my screen in line for a long-awaited Dr. Pepper at EuroDisney.) I even have a half-written blog still in my WordPress draft folder from 3 years ago, titled “Disneyland Theology” because the only thing I hated about our Disney circuit was the message that it is all about your dreams coming true and your efforts, rather than God’s dream for our lives and God’s Spirit working strongly in us.

Recently I have felt weak. Not physically, but emotionally weak. The start of September is always my lowest point in the year. So many expectations. So many unknowns. About 2 months ago, I started laying it all on the line. Everything. Holding it all on the alter, saying, “God, I surrender every single activity I have in my life to You. If you don’t want it anymore, then take it away, or at least make me aware that I need to do away with it, even if it will be hard.”

This blog represents one of the million things in my life that could constitute a full-time job in my life. I was talking to my loving, encouraging, incredible mentor, Laurie Berglund, for whom I am eternally grateful, and she and I came to the conclusion that I currently have about 25 things on my plate that could legitimately constitute a full-time job. AND YET I KEEP PILING ON.

This season I am asking God to curb my passions, to cut them in half, to remove any guilt related to hanging on to things. My loving, encouraging, incredible friend, Aleisha Stephens, when she was in town in July, helped me to see that, over the past decade in Ukraine, I KEEP PILING ON, without removing anything else. The nostalgia for the way that we’ve always done things (prayer breakfasts, language lessons, attending everything related to youth) will no longer suit us in a new stage of leadership and life.

I must remove. This blog is one of the things that sits on the altar. It could be removed. I really don’t need to worry about disappointing people if I ceased; the world has enough noise without mine added. Instagram and the JV Prayer Room can easily replace it. And it’s not like this blog has always been God-honoring or painted the picture that now, ten years later, I’d want to paint. I’m also becoming anti-nostalgia, simply because I live at such a pace that I rarely breath enough to look forward, let alone look back. I was even thinking – wow, if I had to flee Key West or Marco Island, I wouldn’t even care to take all those logs of pictures and scrapbook boxes that I’ve been gathering over the past 25 years. At the same time, I’ll keep it up, just in case 😉 Maybe just not as fresh. Just as the Spirit leads, just like everything else should be in my life.

I don’t have time to look backward. God is calling me forward! This is not a bad-attitude thing! This is a rejoicing in the fact that His mercies are new every morning and I believe He is working out above and beyond what I could ask or imagine for my future. Life is too short to keep doing things the old way, to keep looking back. I’m looking forward in this season. AT JESUS. I’m not looking at my peers to the sides, although comparison is always quite tempting. I’m not looking back at old ways, although it is often safer. I’m not looking forward into the unknown. I’m just looking at Jesus.

This is who Jim Carey sees when he paints Jesus (fascinating little Christ-in-culture clip).

This is who I see when I close my eyes to look to Jesus. Isn’t He beautiful?! And He is strong, and able, and the Judge of all. He’s got it. He’s not surprised by my future. He leads me to green pastures. He is the epitome of strength and gentleness. Laser-sharp vision on Him is what makes us stronger and braver than we could ever imagine. Oh, how He is the answer to my challenging falls, to my 25 full-time jobs, to my emotional outbursts, to my discontent, to the chaos in my church, to the uncertainty of my future. Oh, how I love Jesus, and that He is enough. Every time.

I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Rev. 1:12-18

We hit an all-time record of 47 people in our apartment last Thursday. (Check out the floors.) I loose track of the parties and fun we have in our flat, but I am pretty sure we’ve never had 47…although that one New Life/15-intern lunch of 2014 might have been pretty close…

The following Tuesday we tried again, but “only” 25 showed up. Only! Then we had 30 the next lesson, and 20 this past week. Honestly, this is larger than many churches in Eastern Europe. Some can only dream of a youth group so big.

Thanks be to God, who gives us not only campers, but those who are willing to grow in their faith with Jesus. I don’t have time to share all the stories of where we are seeing God work, but I can ask you simply to pray for Khrystya, Khrystya, Sofia, Sofia (that’s easy), Diana, Kyryl, Severyn, Daniel, Alla, Vlad, Vitalik, Anya, Yuliana, and a few others who honestly have the chance to change their lives and others’ because of Jesus changing them.

Summer is coming to a quick close, and teens come to a fork in the road. Pursue this Jesus thing and remain a part of the youth group community, or return back to school, to the world, to the way life was before summer? We are trusting God that He will keep His children close. Looking forward to fall!

Aug 17, 2017 | Categories: General Updates | Comments Off on The 2017 Credo Group

One is pure bliss! Camp season is over; God got us through with great camps, short-term teams, interns, lots of lessons learned along the way, and tons of teenagers with whom we got to share Jesus. In August, schedules slow down. Summer vacation is right around the corner!

There is space to get a few personal things done, like waiting in line at the phone company to cancel an old home phone number (this must be done in person with a passport in Ukraine; I’ve been putting off this project for 9 months now…). Or ripping apart a wall in the bathroom due to some shoddy craftsmanship from 8 years ago, now causing our hot water heater to switch off…(sometimes as team leaders we forget that we are also people, and that maintaining a household and sanity in the home is of critical importance. Whereas some do house projects every weekend, our lifestyle does not provide such a luxury.)

The second feeling is sheer panic in my heart. I am super struggling with what to do with my fall, and am seeking God intensely, even purposely picking the 5am JV Prayer Room slot, just so that I have a few hours in the early morning to pray and sit, well, more like wrestle, with God, about my next stretch. The way things are playing out it appears as though my life schedule is more empty than it has ever been before.

Due to certain life circumstances, it appears as though I have more freedom and space than ever before, yet at the same time this is terrifying me, because I need more boundaries, I need more clarity than every before. I like having a set project or task before me, because it keeps me grounded and from chasing down 100 other shiny things that catch my eye and I want to be involved in. This is a serious problem of mine. And this is the fall where it is going to stop.

This June and July, due to a seminary deadline, but nonetheless, I felt that God was asking me to commit just to just three things:

Love your kids. They’re out of school and without a babysitter for the summer.

Love teenagers.

Work on the dissertation every single day and turn in those 50 pages.

(Marissa’s little lake birthday party. Turning seven.)

Update – this summer worked out! I did these three things. I felt some stress when dealing with things outside of this list, but I felt great joy in doing these three things. I would call that a successful summer.

However, here we are entering fall. I am seeking God daily – “God, what do you have for me? What are my best yeses this year? What are my best nos? I only have 168 hours in a week and I am tired of chasing down what I think I am supposed to do. I want a role, a place so badly. I need You to intervene, stop me in my tracks, and draw me into Your awesome, prepared-in-advance good works for me to do each day, which will bring contentment and not send me looking elsewhere for identity and ministry.”

Honestly I have not heard much from Him. I have heard my own heart’s desires speaking, but they are fickle, sinful, always changing with the wind, untrustworthy. God has got to intervene here. But this is what I hear and know thus far from my faithful Lord.

If you can’t love your team, your ministry is nothing, so you need to start there.

Your children are precious and are worth investing in.

In September 2016, you wrote “Daily die to self, so that I might be among team and family as one who serves”.

In September 2016, you wrote “Radically testify to that which I have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).

You will glorify ME through your Fuller Seminary studies.

This doesn’t help me much regarding an hour-by-hour schedule. This doesn’t help concrete investment in a particular ministry. Honestly, I will just work on these points until God frees up something else. It is a privilege to have God on my side, my Heavenly Father who cares about every detail, and who promises never to leave me or forsake me.

Aug 17, 2017 | Categories: General Updates | Comments Off on The Emotions of August

As a child of the 1980s, this George Harrison song was one of my all-time favorites. But I am realizing its significant spiritual component as this message “setting our minds on” pertains to Jesus Himself.

When you commit to being a youth leader – a discipler of the next generation – you are signing yourself up for entering into a battle with them of the sins of the flesh. In my experience, the biggest areas of sin and temptation for teens in my context these days, both Christian and non-Christian, are drunkenness, promiscuity, lying, disrespect to parents, cheating, pursuing money above all things, depression, gossip, disillusionment with the church and laziness. If you are a spiritual mentor, you will enter into this arena more than you ever wished.

I praise God that Jesus, too, entered into such arenas with His own disciples. The grace, patience, intense intercessory prayer, and forgiveness that he extended to Judas, Thomas, John and James, Peter, and Matthew. (I’m sure to others too, but these are the ones I see in Scripture hurting/disappointing Jesus the most.)

These dear young people are just that – young and immature in Christ. They are newer Christians. They do not have a solid foundation of Scripture; they are not faithful in time with Jesus above all other priorities. They do not spiritually feed themselves in such a way as to protect themselves from the temptations in this world.

My heart breaks for them. I sit and pray for God to protect them, just like Jesus prayed against Satan when he asked to sift the disciples like wheat (basically to destroy them.)

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.” But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” Luke 22:31-34

I thank God that His word and promises are so faithful. In my Bible reading today, I came across two similar verses that I am praying, just like Jesus did, for the disciples. We take our example from Him. He is so relevant to TODAY’s YOUTH!

Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

Colossians 3:1-2 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

God, may our young people transform their minds. May they submerse themselves in the truth of the Bible, so that it becomes easier to say no to sin and yes to You. May they think about life with you in the future that will have practical implication on everything they are doing today. May they see the lies and the emptiness in saying yes to the flesh, leaving us only empty, guilty, unsatisfied. Please, God, intervene radically and rescue them as only You can. Thank you that forgiveness, restoration and repentance are just around the corner at every step. You are so kind! ~ Amen

Aug 07, 2017 | Categories: General Updates | Comments Off on I Got My Mind Set On You

“Good morning, August 1st. You have been looming for quite some time now. I’m thankful that you are now in my past.” August 1 was our Year 1 paper deadline for our Fuller program. Honestly, writing a forty-page stab at the first section of a dissertation has been probably the hardest academic thing I have ever done – maybe because it is not just one 40-page paper, one time. This is one of many 40-page papers. I feel so small, so uneducated, and super unworthy to be on this journey! Yet at the same time I’m so filled with joy that I can participate in God’s kingdom with this tiny contribution.

Yesterday our family went to a new pool to celebrate completion of Year One. (Dylan’s behind us; Marissa’s on top of the colorful bubble.) This was truly a day to celebrate because I personally have battled several internal giants while writing this paper, including my issue of avoidance (which only leads to anxiety), the new disciplines of “Two Awesome Hours” and daily investment in reading. I have changed habits, hopefully for life! This is so life-giving, I am shocked. Hard, but life-giving. And lastly I’m learning where to set the bar for myself as I look at up to all these incredible, brilliant scholars, who I will never be. There is something so healthy about standing on the shoulders of giants! I have loved every minute of this, even in the hardship, which is the confirmation from God to keep going.

In the midst of all the academic stress, late nights, drafts and re-writes, joys and frustrations, we not only had New Life English Camp and a New Life Fusion Camp visit, but we also had a different kind of visit. Our dear friend Aleisha Stephens came to town. She and Brian are our dearest friends, hands down, in this season of life. Unfortunately Brian’s dad ended up in the ICU in Florida, so Brian ended up flying there instead of to Ukraine, but Aleisha’s visit (with two of her dear interns) was perfect timing. I just lied – of course it was the worst time of year for them to come: this paper was due in less than 10 days! But honestly, it was the best time for them to come. We don’t have many people in our lives with whom we can be totally open, honest, vulnerable, and free with. And I have felt particularly lonely since re-entering Fuller, so I needed this.

God knowns our needs and puts people in place at just the right time. I’m thankful to be on the other end of this August 1st deadline, but the lessons I have learned and the time I got to spend with Aleisha during this time will have ripple effects for me into the next decade of life and ministry, no doubt.

Aug 01, 2017 | Categories: General Updates | Comments Off on Friends Who Go The Distance

I was visiting a Fusion rock/pop choir camp a few weeks ago, and our youth pastor, Syava, was leading a 16-person small group(!) (We had that many kids register for both of our church’s local camps with JV, and since evening program is pretty much the same, Syava leads his own talk for them and conducts small group. It is a great time to invest in kids who don’t yet know Christ but who have already 100% heard the Gospel and want to be there.)

Syava spoke on this: 1 Kings 18:11-13 “And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.”

God spoke clearly to me last night, working more on my character and heart through unexpected means. The first was through a Netflix documentary. These days there is not much time for tv, and my favorite shows (Chicago PD, This is Us, Homeland) are not on anyway. But we have grown to love Netflix documentaries.

The high scoring video game one. The one about the video game graveyard. The creepy one about Scientology. The creepy one about one of Trump’s advisors. Sour Grapes about the wine-bottling scandal. The vitamin/shakes scandal (Betting on zero, I think.)

And for some strange reason, on Ben’s birthday, actually, we watched “What the Health”. In a nutshell, it is a pro-vegan lifestyle movie. It was NOT the film to watch when running from limited fast food options and gas station snacks with short-term teams. This particular film is not changing my life, it’s actually kicking my butt. Hard. But I am glad to be informed and consider my options. I used to think Whole 30 was hard core, Paleo was pretty amazing. But this no animal product lifestyle takes things to an an entirely different level. You can’t have it all…

But saying no to meat and dairy and eggs is actually not the way that God is speaking to me, although I am praying about why I happened to see it and what I am supposed to do about it…

No, instead God got my attention through this film. It was amazing! I am by no means a minimalist, but living in a 100 sq. meter apartment in Ukraine for the past 8 years (1000 sq. feet) with no yard, garage, or balcony does keep my material desires under control. This movie had so many Biblically-based principles, I was shocked. One thing about attending Fuller Seminary is that they teach you how to see Christ in culture all around you. We don’t through operate in a fundamentalist bubble where everything carries either a secular or sacred label. No, Christ is in all and all things have been created for Him and by Him and through Him. He is in it all and was definitely in this documentary.

Main take aways were: Are you imprisoned by your work? Are you imprisoned by your things? What lies do you believe about “stuff”? We consume because we are looking for deeper contentment and joy. Do you have space in your life for things that really matter? Watch this movie, whether you are a hoarder or only own one pair of shoes. It’s not actually about that. You will leave feeling uplifted. It is evident that there is so much freedom that comes with living a lifestyle not tied down to things that do not matter. This is not one of those “put down everyone else to make me feel good” kind of documentaries. Ben and I both were absolutely inspired…yet if they only knew Jesus as the ultimate answer to their deeper issues and questions.

But that is actually not the theme that God wanted to talk to me about. Just before starting “Minimalism”, I had started “The Spirit of Disciplines” by Dallas Willard. (It’s time to start up a new round of our program’s 20-books-a-year reading list.) The opening chapter talks about Matthew 11:28-30’s easy, light yoke that Jesus wants to give us, as he takes our heavy burdens. It talks about how John wrote that “His commandments are not burdensome.” And I recognized that I have been feeling burdened and tied down by the responsibilities that come with the territory of being a team leader. I get thrown off course easily. When ministry challenges come, I view my job as heavy rather than light. In other peoples’ problems my joy is robbed rather than made complete. This book is saying “Jesus promises a light yoke to carry. The heaviness of going to the cross was taken up with full joy (Heb. 12). The challenges of immature disciples did not throw Jesus off course. The sin of the world hung on His body on the cross. The ability to see the evil in humanity’s hearts. The mega-criticism that ultimately brought Him a death sentence.

JESUS took on these things brilliantly because of His daily connection with the Father that sustained Him, and because of the mission that He was on. His eyes were fixed on the thing that really mattered, so that nothing could shake or waver His faith. He lived so simply that He could always do the work of the Father. He had no personal agenda. He was all in. And nothing could stop Him.

I know that God is preparing more great things in my future. His confirmations of this are everywhere. But I need to be physically healthy (What the Health), emotionally healthy (Minimalism) and spiritually healthy (Willard) in order to be ready for the good works that God has prepared in advance for me to do. Only then will I be able to battle the stress and temptation to hold on to a heavy burden instead of exchanging my difficulties for His light load. Jesus models this for us in Scripture. I am ready to learn from Him.

Aug 01, 2017 | Categories: General Updates | Comments Off on How Netflix Documentaries Are Changing My Life

Just recently, Ben and I were reminiscing about our Lockheed Martin days. As a part of their Leadership Development Program, we had the opportunity to sit in on executive meetings and observe high-level directors and leaders in their sweet spots. They cast vision. They appointed those who are great executors to their teams in order to bring projects to completion. They ran multi-million dollar companies. They spurred the younger generation on to great achievement and opportunity. It was fascinating to be a part of of the inner-workings and learn from the best. Yes, it was a secular environment with secular goals, but I am still inspired by those three years that I was a part of that company and with that crowd of young leaders. I would not be who I am today without that experience.

As a leader in Ukraine, it is not at all the same as those LMCO days. The honest truth is that there are just not as many leaders to look up to. Who is casting vision, training and equipping, and appointing executors to the team in order to bring projects to completion? Most of the time, that is our job.

Josiah Venture has quality leaders we can look to, learn from and be inspired by, but they are far away, and there isn’t that daily access to them like we had in corporate American. One of the only substitutes is self-leading and self-teaching, where you learn from books (the best mentors). It’s not ideal, and often it is lonely and exhausting. But it is one of the only ways to stay motivated and inspired when there is no one around on a daily basis.

Honestly, I usually feel alone. I have been thinking about this A LOT this summer. Leadership is lonely.Being a female leader in a male context is particularly lonely. I sometimes can’t help but wonder – who is coming to work each day excited to train and equip me as I train and equip others day in and day out?

I long to look to the side and see another female who is doing things the way that I do, but after 10 years, it is still not there. It’s not that I don’t have friends and teammates, because I do and they are wonderful. But, for example, for the past two months between camp activities, we have spent every spare second, literally, at our desks, writing a 50-page attempt at the social sciences context and literature review for our doctorate program. People ask where we’ve been or what we’ve been doing with our time…it is hard to explain. You don’t want to feel pretentious by talking about the program all the time, and no one really understands anyway. Being a 37-year-old student when no one else is a student doesn’t help the loneliness. I never, ever that God has called us to this life in Ukraine and to these studies, but it can still be lonely.

Luckily I have Ben, who understands in almost every way (except for the female part, but at least he tries to empathize). (Happy Birthday, by the way. 2 weeks belated. I owe you.) We have studied together since 1994. We did grad school downtown Philadelphia together (different schools and tracks, but still at the same time), so plenty of late nights in our orange office in Delran.

We did Fuller Theological Seminary together, 6.5 long years, to be exact, and with two children born in the mix. We stayed on track and stayed together. And then, back in November, we committed to doing the DMin together. So we sit up until 2am, sharing research, sharing book quotes, banging our heads against the desks, laughing hysterically, rejoicing when we find a great article, etc. Just last night we stayed up until 2 or 3am, discussing surveys we read, dreams we have, challenges we are facing.

It’s incredible when your spouse is not only your husband or wife, but in our case, we really do share things with one another in a way that no one else seems to. I’ve always been one to dance to the beat of a different drum, and I may not have peers who understand my life, but Ben really does, in the deepest sense, where I feel the loneliest. He is right there, feeling a bit lonely himself. I am so thankful for a bond of ours that is deeper than marriage, deeper than friendship. It’s one flesh on an entirely different level. I don’t really know how else to describe it, except that almost every single day we look at each other and say, “I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t physically in this, 100%, side-by-side with me. I am so glad that you understand.” _______________

I was reading Romans 4 this morning, and God woke me up to see that my faith really wavers when I look around me, like Peter on the water, and feel that I am so alone. The reality is that Jesus is right there, telling me to come to Him, telling me that this plan to redeem Central and Eastern Europe for God’s Kingdom purposes is worth it. Ultimately, it is he who fulfills my loneliness.

Another reality is that we really are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 11, 12:1-2). Abraham is one of those witnesses, who testifies to the fact that the unknown journey is worth it. Following our Lord and Savior anywhere for any purpose is worth it. He is so important to the people of Israel; I want his life lessons to be important to me to. What do I see when I look at Romans 4 and think about the life of Abraham?

Hebrews 11 reminds us that “By faith Abraham obeyed when we has called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents…for he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God…Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth“…

What I can learn from Abraham?

God honors obedience. Obedience to come to Ukraine, to become missionaries. Our obedience to lead the team. Our obedience to study at Fuller.

We do not know the future. I may not see the promises fulfilled in my life time.

I am a stranger and exile on this earth. Abraham moved and was totally alone.

I need to stop looking around me, trying to find people who can relate, and lift my eyes up and focus on the eternal (Col. 3:1-2). “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one” (Heb.11:16)

Romans 4:12b “Walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had”…

Romans 4:16 “That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace.”

It might feel like you are swimming upstream. “In hope Abraham believed AGAINST HOPE, that he should become the father of many nations.”

This journey requires supernatural believe in God’s miracles. Romans 4:19 “He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about 100 years old), or when we considered the deadness of Sarah’s womb.”

“No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” v. 20-21

“That is why his faith was ‘counted to him as righteousness’. But the words ‘it was counted to him’ were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord.” (v.22-24)

Lord, help me battle with the reality of loneliness in leadership. Thank you for Ben, for Abraham, for Your Son, for my job, for my school. In my loneliness I am filled with your spiritual riches that will sustain me until I arrive in your faithful city. I can’t wait. <3

Jul 29, 2017 | Categories: General Updates | Comments Off on Walking in the Footsteps of Faith

Recently our Ukraine team has been responsible for covering a week in July in the prayer room. That means finding 24 people per day to cover one hour of on-line interactive prayer, interceding for Josiah Venture and for God’s movement in Central and Eastern Europe. When it is our team’s weeks to cover, I find myself in the prayer room almost every day, compared to the twice-per-week average that I try to maintain weekly.

Often when I am in the prayer room, this prayer request comes across my path:

Malenovice Event Center
One of the keys to keeping our team and young leaders healthy and well-equipped is a training center called Malenovice in the Czech Republic. This amazing facility has served our team and this region of the world for 18 years, providing a place for transformational training events for leaders.

But the movement is growing and we are out of space.

After five years of planning and preparation, we are ready to expand our capacity at Malenovice.

Please join us in asking God to provide the remaining $2 million dollars of the $5.5 million that is needed for this project to move forward. UPDATE: A gift of $500,000 was given in May! This brings the amount needed down to $1.5 million. Praise God with us for this provision.

Pray for people who are willing and able to make an eternal investment in lives that will be changed because of this facility.

So would join us in praying for the JV team to find donors to cover this final amount? I believe that there are people out there who can make generous donations to something like this, investing in a project that will change lives of an entire region.

Also pray for the government permissions. There have been many people in Czech looking to shut down this project. May God do what is right and necessary and provide in His perfect time.

We praise God with our whole hearts for this milestone! Ten summers ago we prepped with our New Life Church team for a “camp of a different kind”. JV Camps are unique, in the sense that they have specific themes, logos, training and strategies, in order to equip local churches to reach the campers all year around, not just for the 7 days that they are at camp. Their camps are dual in purpose: evangelistic, so for new kids who don’t yet know Christ, and disciple-making, in the sense that young leaders are developed and trained so that they can spiritually lead their peers.

(We’ve actually been doing camps in Ukraine for 11 summers, but our very first summer in UA, we were booked with other camps, and New Life had their own plans.)

Being Human 2008

Being Human 2008

Stories 2009

Redeemed 2010

Collision 2011

The First Babies of Camp – Collision 2011

One more baby of Camp – Greater Than 2012

Reconnect 2013

Upside Down 2014

You Are Here 2015

Did You Get My Message 2016

and now SEEN for 2017

What a beautiful partnership. What a team of youth leaders. I vividly remember our first camp in 2008. Sasha, Yulia, Syava, Ben, Andriy and I are the only ones still leading youth ministries from that original group. Praise God that many other leaders are still around, just serving in different places in the church, diversifying the Body.

Over the years, so many leaders have grown and developed from the concept of making a camp a year-round experience that, on one hand, trains and equips leaders to be disciple-makers and evangelists, and on the other hand, reaches out to teens who don’t yet know Jesus. Each year almost 80-100 youth and leaders head to camp in great expectation of what God will do.

Two more things – one is not forgetting the other types of youth camps done with New Life. Now we have Fusion and Floorball and other outlets for youth to serve and to be ministered to. This email is just highlighting the English wave. Two, we never want to forget to thank all of the short-term teams that make these English camps possible. 2008 and 2009 were blessed by FAC, our New Jersey church. After that, EVFree Fullerton has blessed us from 2010 through 2017. Even the one scary year (2014) with the war was blessed by EVFree – they didn’t send an official team, but they sent tons of summer interns, several of which served New Life that summer so that we had enough native English speakers to actually call it an English camp! God continually provides all that we need.

Cheers to ten years of memories, stories of salvation, new leaders being changed, lives from the US being transformed, and God reminding us that He has a huge heart for the next generation.

Jul 11, 2017 | Categories: General Updates | Comments Off on Celebrating 10 Years of New Life English Camps!